Posted
by
samzenpus
on Friday April 07, 2006 @10:38PM
from the web-words dept.

mikemuch writes "ajaxWrite is the first offspring of ajax13, Michael Robertson's (of Lindows and SIPphone fame) latest startup that aims to deliver a brave new line of web-delivered, AJAX-based apps. ExtremeTech today has an in-depth review of just how apt a replacement ajaxWrite is for the big installed word processors. It's a neat idea, but let's just say the web-based word processor has some catching up to do."

It allows you to collaborate via the web on both Office *and* OpenOffice documents, with full IM capabilities built-in. Integrate it with Lotus Sametime [ibm.com] and you get a full web conferencing suite: voice (including SIP), video, whiteboarding, etc...

Really some very cool technology. And as you can see from my sig, I can even help you with implementing such a project!:)

The AJAX version is so much more intuitive and friendly, they check stuff off and then can just navigate to another page without having to worry about saving their data. The web is what you make it, not some definition set in stone for time imemorial.

You used AJAX in the way it was 'meant' to be used - as a compliment to existing web functionality.

Now go write a spreadsheet program that competes with Excel, but do it in Javascript and we'll see what you'll make of Ajax then.

(BTW, ajaxWrite is really a XUL application, which means it is not portable across Browsers - heck, its not even portable across Firefox releases. The whole thing is pointless as a marketable app. As a proof of concept its interesting. As vacuum for VC money its perfect).

I think that is invalid argumentation. You dislike AJAX apps, for some reason (why not state it), and then you use this argument. It seems kinda silly.

Even richest-off-all Microsoft, with their follow-don't-lead attitude, do it in versions. We all know how they do it since Word 1.0, Windows 3.0, Internet Explorer 3.0 (breaking-point versions) and need I go on? Would you like to judge the inherent potential of their next phased product line based on the initial versions limitated functionality, and not beyond? How strange. It is a starting point, man!

I'd say if you use this line of argumentation for New Stuff (tm), you're unfit for the field, and Slashdot. Imagine where we'd be if this cynical approach would have been leading the last decades. For starters we'd still be staring at monochrome monitors because VGA will lead nowhere.